Connect Mark 2:20 with Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah's suffering.

Mark 2:20 — The Bridegroom Foretells His Absence

“ ‘But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.’ ” (Mark 2:20)

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Prophets Who Saw the Bridegroom “Taken”

• Isaiah 53:8 — “By oppression and judgment He was taken away… For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of My people He was stricken.”

• Daniel 9:26 — “After the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing.”

• Zechariah 13:7 — “‘Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the Man who is My companion,’ declares the LORD of Hosts. ‘Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’” (cf. Mark 14:27)

• Psalm 22:1, 16 – 18 — “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? … They pierce My hands and feet… They divide my garments among them.”

• Psalm 69:20–21 — “Reproach has broken My heart… They gave Me poison for food, and for My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink.”

• Zechariah 12:10 — “They will look on Me, the One they have pierced, and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only son.”

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Connecting the Threads

• “Taken away” in Mark 2:20 mirrors the language of Isaiah 53 and Daniel 9, confirming Jesus as the Suffering Servant and “cut-off” Messiah.

• The Shepherd imagery in Zechariah 13:7 is echoed when Jesus is arrested and the disciples scatter (Mark 14:50).

• The piercing, mockery, and divided garments in Psalm 22 & 69 pre-figure the crucifixion details recorded in the Gospels.

• Zechariah 12:10 anticipates the later repentance and mourning that follows His piercing, pointing to hope beyond the suffering.

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Why This Matters

• Jesus’ brief statement about fasting is loaded with prophetic weight—He identifies Himself as the Bridegroom who must first suffer before the messianic wedding feast can be enjoyed.

• The Old Testament consistently portrays a Messiah who would bear sin, be cut off, and yet ultimately triumph; Mark 2:20 places Jesus squarely within that divine script.

• Fasting “in that day” expresses longing for His presence and aligns believers with the prophets’ vision: suffering now, glory to follow (1 Peter 1:10-11).